FE1 Exam Thread (Read 1st post!) NOTE: YOU MAY SWAP EXAM GRIDS

jewels652

I wonder if we’ll be getting an email this Friday in relation to the results

sm333

jewels652 wrote: »

I wonder if we’ll be getting an email this Friday in relation to the results

Fingers crossed. Wouldn’t mind just knowing one way or the other at this point.

Breacnua

The law society would have to change their ways slightly with meetings etc to approve results. My thinking is there’s two options, they have readjusted to using video calls etc and pushed ahead or they are on a complete go slow and waiting till after May 5th.

I have faith they have pushed ahead.

Also, I think tort and Eu will go ahead very early Aug when the LC is planned for and they will have small numbers in small rooms so as to avoid mass gatherings and keep social distancing strong. The chances are hotels etc will be open in August. The exams won’t be sprung on us, there will be plenty notice.
That is my tuppence worth, I could be way off the mark,

spygirl

Breacnua wrote: »

The law society would have to change their ways slightly with meetings etc to approve results. My thinking is there’s two options, they have readjusted to using video calls etc and pushed ahead or they are on a complete go slow and waiting till after May 5th.

I have faith they have pushed ahead.

Also, I think tort and Eu will go ahead very early Aug when the LC is planned for and they will have small numbers in small rooms so as to avoid mass gatherings and keep social distancing strong. The chances are hotels etc will be open in August. The exams won’t be sprung on us, there will be plenty notice.
That is my tuppence worth, I could be way off the mark,

I don't think you are off the mark at all. Very much along the same lines of thought myself. Would be nice if results came out May 1st or thereabouts, given the last emailed response someone posted in this thread, I think there is every possibility that will happen.
Be nice to be out of my misery sooner rather than later.

sm333

Did someone mention previously that PPC exams are open book? Anyone know if this is true?

Supermax1988

sm333 wrote: »

Did someone mention previously that PPC exams are open book? Anyone know if this is true?

Yeah they’re open book.

sm333

Supermax1988 wrote: »

Yeah they’re open book.

That makes me so happy, the rote learning for the FE1s drives me nuts

mmullen

Have a traineeship interview tomorrow, my first one. If anyone has any pointers of what kind of qs usually come up in the first round for these, it would be much appreciated!

starfishxxo

mmullen wrote: »

Have a traineeship interview tomorrow, my first one. If anyone has any pointers of what kind of qs usually come up in the first round for these, it would be much appreciated!

They often open by asking you to introduce yourself or talk through your CV - would recommend rehearsing this in advance. Likewise, a strong closing statement emphasising your particular interest in the firm.

Know your CV inside out - the S.T.A.R method is often recommended in best preparedness for all competence based questions. Just something helpful to be aware of and have in mind when responding!

Also would recommend having a few questions about the firm/work/traineeship ready to go

Don't stress about it. Best advice I received was to appear confident, even if you don't feel it!

Best of luck!

Bayb12

Breacnua wrote: »

The law society would have to change their ways slightly with meetings etc to approve results. My thinking is there’s two options, they have readjusted to using video calls etc and pushed ahead or they are on a complete go slow and waiting till after May 5th.

I have faith they have pushed ahead.

Also, I think tort and Eu will go ahead very early Aug when the LC is planned for and they will have small numbers in small rooms so as to avoid mass gatherings and keep social distancing strong. The chances are hotels etc will be open in August. The exams won’t be sprung on us, there will be plenty notice.
That is my tuppence worth, I could be way off the mark,

I dont know how they are handling correcting, but as someone currently attending PPC2 online, I can say that they actually have very good remote resources and are trying their best to be BAU, so you would hope that they have made accommodations to get the results out to people.

mmullen

starfishxxo wrote: »

They often open by asking you to introduce yourself or talk through your CV - would recommend rehearsing this in advance. Likewise, a strong closing statement emphasising your particular interest in the firm.

Know your CV inside out - the S.T.A.R method is often recommended in best preparedness for all competence based questions. Just something helpful to be aware of and have in mind when responding!

Also would recommend having a few questions about the firm/work/traineeship ready to go

Don't stress about it. Best advice I received was to appear confident, even if you don't feel it!

Best of luck!

Thank you, appreciate it!

Twinings2016

Could anyone tell me what came up in the EU march 2020 sitting, please??

Jeremiah25

Is september/october the only intake into Blackhall? (ie - if you don't pass all the exams in the march sitting you have to wait until the following year)

aideenc18

Jeremiah25 wrote: »

Is september/october the only intake into Blackhall? (ie - if you don't pass all the exams in the march sitting you have to wait until the following year)

Yep, the usual PPC 1 intake is in September only. In December 2019 they introduced PPC Hybrid which starts in January and is (for the majority) online so you don’t have to attend Blackhall.

Unfortunately if you don’t want to do the hybrid, your only option is the intake once a year in September.

student2019

Can anyone recommend a FE1 prep course?

Similarly, October shall be my first sitting and I was considering doing company, equity, property, criminal and contract. Would it be realistic to pass these 5 first time?

Mod
Any such recommendations should be by PM.

Breacnua

Do we need to apply for a refund for Tort does anyone know? April 24th is deadline for refunds 😳

Breacnua

student2019 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a FE1 prep course?

Similarly, October shall be my first sitting and I was considering doing company, equity, property, criminal and contract. Would it be realistic to pass these 5 first time?

Law school

Liordi

Sorry to hijack this thread since my question isn't necessarily about the FE1s.

If someone is studying law at university, then I can't see how sitting the FE1s and then subsequently spending two years training is a preferable route to qualifying in Belfast which only takes two years from the September after you have completed your degree.

From what I understand: if you qualify in Northern Ireland, then you're automatically allowed to join the register of the Law Society in the Republic.

I'm kinda confused about it because I always imagined it would take me three-four years after graduating to become a solicitor, but the NI route seems to just take two years? Maybe I'm missing something/have misunderstood.

Fe119

Does anyone have any info on the Hybrid Scheme or how you can go about applying? Do you apply on your own to the Law Society or is it something firms offer you?

Fe119

Twinings2016 wrote: »

Could anyone tell me what came up in the EU march 2020 sitting, please??

I would also like to know this. Starting it fresh for the August sitting is challenging!

channing90

Fe119 wrote: »

I would also like to know this. Starting it fresh for the August sitting is challenging!

I’ll send it on there to you just Dm the email

cowboy123456

Anybody remember do law society normally send out notification of results the Friday the week before results come out or is it sent out at the start of the week (Monday/Tuesday) in which they actually come out?

mmullen

cowboy123456 wrote: »

Anybody remember do law society normally send out notification of results the Friday the week before results come out or is it sent out at the start of the week (Monday/Tuesday) in which they actually come out?

It was the Friday prior last time

z6vm1dobfnca3x

cowboy123456 wrote: »

Anybody remember do law society normally send out notification of results the Friday the week before results come out or is it sent out at the start of the week (Monday/Tuesday) in which they actually come out?

Law Society's tweet from earlier today:

'Law Society websites will be offline for essential maintenance from 9:00 pm on Friday 24 April.

All websites are expected to be back online by lunchtime on Sunday 26 April. Thanks to our members and followers for their patience.'

Classic...

lsheehaneire

Surely the Law Society can still sent out emails , does the message not just refer to their Website ? ...hopefully !
On a separate note, is it realistic to think we will be sitting exams in October 2020?

cowboy123456

Juelz Putrid Lavender wrote: »

Law Society's tweet from earlier today:

'Law Society websites will be offline for essential maintenance from 9:00 pm on Friday 24 April

All websites are expected to be back online by lunchtime on Sunday 26 April. Thanks to our members and followers for their patience.'

Classic...

I’m going to remain naively optimistic that the essential maintenance is to ensure the website doesn’t crash when we all log in to receive our results next Friday.

cowboy123456

lsheehaneire wrote: »

Surely the Law Society can still sent out emails , does the message not just refer to their Website ? ...hopefully !
On a separate note, is it realistic to think we will be sitting exams in October 2020?

I would imagine October will definitely go ahead, the world has to start returning to normal some time and the leaving very will have been held by then as well as the fact there will be plenty of time to plan any changes that need to be implemented such as social distancing ect.

rightytighty

cowboy123456 wrote: »

I’m going to remain naively optimistic that the essential maintenance is to ensure the website doesn’t crash when we all log in to receive our results next Friday.

I thought this when I read that too

user115

cowboy123456 wrote: »

I’m going to remain naively optimistic that the essential maintenance is to ensure the website doesn’t crash when we all log in to receive our results next Friday.

Lol it for sure will crash! It always does and every year it seems to come as such a surprise to them!

Goodluck to everyone getting results hope everyone gets on really well

jewels652

Well, it is nearly 5pm and no email from the law society. Keeping positive and hoping that they’ll send the emails at 16:59 or 17:59

lsheehaneire

Fingers crossed...

htnor

Friend of mine emailed today to ask about results and they replied still saying provisional date of 1st May... despite no confirmation email received yet as it usually is. Fingers crossed crossed for next Friday then!

lawgirl23

Liordi wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this thread since my question isn't necessarily about the FE1s.

If someone is studying law at university, then I can't see how sitting the FE1s and then subsequently spending two years training is a preferable route to qualifying in Belfast which only takes two years from the September after you have completed your degree.

From what I understand: if you qualify in Northern Ireland, then you're automatically allowed to join the register of the Law Society in the Republic.

I'm kinda confused about it because I always imagined it would take me three-four years after graduating to become a solicitor, but the NI route seems to just take two years? Maybe I'm missing something/have misunderstood.

From what I’ve heard from my Belfast colleagues, the exams up north are very difficult and getting a training contract is even more difficult!

Liordi

lawgirl23 wrote: »

From what I’ve heard from my Belfast colleagues, the exams up north are very difficult and getting a training contract is even more difficult!

Thanks for your reply. Wonder how difficult the exams are. I imagine sourcing a training contract is probably the main problem since Belfast is considerably smaller than Dublin.

lawgrad49

Liordi wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. Wonder how difficult the exams are. I imagine sourcing a training contract is probably the main problem since Belfast is considerably smaller than Dublin.

I come from the North so can hopefully shed a bit light of here! The entrance exam is only one exam/paper, known as the 'Institute exam' and yes you could sit in your final year of your LLB (sit it in December) and begin a training contract the following September. So it is a lot quicker way to qualify.

The exam itself is also a bit weird as there is a numeracy test mixed with traditional law exam problem solving questions and I'm nearly sure there is a part where you have to draw land boundaries etc! Chatting to a few friends who have sat the exam, it's not terribly difficult but it's different and the grand majority of people need tutoring before.

Trying to secure a training contract is quite competitive as if you want to train in a commercial/corporate law firm there aren't nearly as many compared to the South.

In reality not many students go straight from college into a training contract as the institute exam is an added pressure to your studies around the Xmas period, i.e. you would usually have 2/3 modules to pass for your LLB.

So in theory yes it's a lot quicker in the North to go from college into a training contract but you really need to be clued in from 1st year and get a few internships or make connections so that you can have your training contract secured before Xmas of your final year. In reality, like the FE1's, a lot of people take paralegal/legal professional jobs after UNI and build up some experience for a year or two and then sit the exam!

Hamerzan Sickles

lawgrad49 wrote: »

The big difference with the FE1's is that you must have a training contract lined up (i.e. have an offer) before you sit the exam and then only the top 100 can 'pass' the exam. So the less number of students who sit the exam, the better your chances are of passing.

What are you talking about? Literally none of this is true.

lawgrad49

Hamerzan Sickles wrote: »

What are you talking about? Literally none of this is true.

Sorry, I was mixing up passing the exam and available places for Solicitor's and barristers each year. I had a friend who sat the exam last year and it was only something like the Top 100 got the places- there in lay my confusion.

rightytighty

Yeah as far as I knew you could sit the exam without a training solicitor.

It’s true there are 100 places in the institute, but it’s the top 100 who pass the exam AND have a training solicitor that get in. So you can be outside top 100 and get in provides requisite number within it fail to get a traineeship.

Prospective barristers sit the same exam, but there being only 20 places, only the top 20 applicants for the barrister course succeed. Open to correction!

Liordi

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, I've seen that they only take on a limited number of people every year but I've looked at the entrance exam online and it seems fairly manageable, especially compared to the FE1s.

I guess the most stressful thing for me would be attempting to source a training contract, especially justifying why I want one in Belfast when I'm not from the North. I'm not sure a firm would appreciate if I said the reason I wanted to qualify in NI was because I thought it was easier. I guess I'll start applying in September and see how it goes.

Jenosul

Liordi wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, I've seen that they only take on a limited number of people every year but I've looked at the entrance exam online and it seems fairly manageable, especially compared to the FE1s.

I guess the most stressful thing for me would be attempting to source a training contract, especially justifying why I want one in Belfast when I'm not from the North. I'm not sure a firm would appreciate if I said the reason I wanted to qualify in NI was because I thought it was easier. I guess I'll start applying in September and see how it goes.

To be honest you I found finding a training contract more reflective on your personality as in attitude and whether or not you are easy to work with. In all my interviews I was never even asked my results. It was whether or not they thought they would get on with me, if I was hard-working and down to earth and respectful (not a lunatic). Maybe for the top firms I understand this is important. Other than that if you got in doing legal admin first and said you want to learn and be good at your job and no tasks were beneath you I found most firms would be willing to give you a chance. Obviously if you have connections though family etc you are more likely to get a job which is the sad reality.

mydogwentroof

Can't they just make us lawyers already

Jenosul

mydogwentroof wrote: »

Can't they just make us lawyers already[/QUOTE

I agree!

It would be just lovely if they took current difficulties into consideration as they did with the leaving cert. Before I get some harsh comment of why everything should be hard cause life and being a solicitor is hard and why should they! blah blah...just want to say I am just saying wouldn't it be lovely not expecting!
I am greatful for any bit of luck I get and am totally not ashamed when a predicted topic comes up!

Hope everyone gets the results they wish for the end of the week. Fingers crossed for us all.

sm333

Anyone else slowly going insane waiting for an update from the Law Society on results?

jewels652

sm333 wrote: »

Anyone else slowly going insane waiting for an update from the Law Society on results?

Yep is driving me crazy. I just want them to let us know if they’ll be out this Friday or not. They should know by now so why just not let us know ??
Is frustrating

iamanengine

So are people thinking they will be out Friday? Or is it likely they will be delayed? Surely they would have let us know by now if there was going to be a delay

Jeremiah25

iamanengine wrote: »

So are people thinking they will be out Friday? Or is it likely they will be delayed? Surely they would have let us know by now if there was going to be a delay

If we don't hear from them today I can't see it being Friday. I feel as though they would give us more notice. Just my opinion! Friday would be great but they should at least let us know...

sm333

iamanengine wrote: »

So are people thinking they will be out Friday? Or is it likely they will be delayed? Surely they would have let us know by now if there was going to be a delay

I’m still holding out hope for Friday, as optimistic as that may be!

jewels652

I am just after log in the account where results would be available and it says:

Details of when the results for the March 2020 FE-1 sitting will be published will be available shortly.

CMUL

When I log in its saying login access issues even though I am logged in at top right hand corner??? Do I need to get on to them before results or is this normal?

lsheehaneire

http://www.lawsociety.ie/fe1results